Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
The Auto Key button (see Figure 2-84),
when active, will automatically create
keyframes for any item you move, rotate, or
resize. This is a great thing for newcomers
to animation because it frees you from hav-
ing to remember to create a keyframe for
your modified items before moving on to
the next frame or exiting Layout.
Item Selection
Figure 2-86: Just to the left of the key creation/
deletion buttons are the controls that tell Layout
whether you want to manipulate the scene's
objects, bones, lights, or cameras.
Note
To help you navigate through scenes where
you have hundreds of objects (with a few of
those objects perhaps having a couple hun-
dred bones), tens or hundreds of lights, and
two or more cameras, Layout automatically
“filters” that information for you.
When you have the Objects button
active, only objects will appear in the Cur-
rent Item pop-up menu. When you have the
Bones button active, only the bones of the
most recently selected object will appear in
the Current Item pop-up menu. Similar
rules apply to the Lights and Cameras
buttons.
The Auto Key function is actually a two-part
system. Auto Key will not work unless both
parts are active.
In addition to having the Auto Key button
active, you must also tell LightWave on
which channels (axes) you wish to create
keys — only the ones you've modified or all
channels.
You set this additional information in Edit
| General Options | Auto Key Create.
(I touch on this again later in this chapter
when we go over Layout's general options
and when we work with animation in Chap-
ter 15.)
Note
I'm going to skip over the Properties button
right now. Because there are so many varied
properties for each kind of item, it is best to
explore them in the chapters where we actu-
ally use these properties in the exercises.
Directly above the Current Item pop-up
menu is a line of information that Layout
uses to keep you on top of what's going on.
Information about using the current tool
can be found here, like “Drag mouse in
view to move selected items.” Error mes-
sages also appear here. If something has
you stumped, take a peek here — there
might be a clue to unraveling your mystery
quietly sitting there.
